Christmas Greetings to all my friends & followers of my blog

It is the time of year especially in the Western Nations where my friends, I have been out of touch with for a while, are celebrating Christmas in a manner that is far more apparent than in Sri Lanka. I therefore wish that they have a special time with their family members, some who fly thousands of miles to be with them, and their families gather and renew their family ties.

Here in Sri Lanka we have the usual extended family meals and this time we have some fewer members as they have left this earth for pastures anew. My brother came from the US today to be with us. So it is a happy time for my father, who has all of us offspring together. We think of the many parents at this time who are separated from their children all over the world, a special and unique characteristic of Sri Lankan families due to increasing number of members in far off foreign lands who have exiled themselves for economic reasons.

I consulted the surgeon who operated on me, as he sees patients privately at Asiri Surgical on Thursday, after taking the latest x-ray of my leg. He told me that I can now use just one elbow crutch and can begin to put weight on the recovering right leg. I now have to get used to that method of support and walking, to rebuild the muscle on the leg before I am free of them in the not too distant future. He having reached 60 retired from Government Service a few weeks ago, and is now seeing patients and operating at the private hospitals.

Of course I have a full schedule on Christmas, a day I sometimes dread as there is so much food just on that day, I wish we could spread it over a few days, as I really cannot enjoy more than one square meal for one day. Worse I have clashing events with a birthday that I have confirmed, so fitting all this is no easy task when I am also getting used to walk in a different configuration of walking aid.

The difficulty of choosing between conflicting invitations is now a daily occurrence and I have decided this year instead of going to the traditional Christmas eve carol service where there are many cousins who sing in the choir and expect my presence, I have decided to go to a ‘Kavi Maduwa’ in Mirigama an altogether different experience, but nevertheless one to greatly look forward to.

It is ironic how I was forced out of my crutches. My landlord hurt his while out walking yesterday, and was asked by his orthopedic surgeon not to put any weight on his left leg for at least 6 weeks. He therefore is now using my crutches, and my wheel chair and I am hobbling around trying to learn to walk with a stick!